Hospital folding chair



March 19, 1957 R. W. FoSTER ET AL 2,785,414

HOSPITAL FOLDING CHAIR Filed March 9, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 19,1957 R. w. FOSTER x-:T A1. 2,785,414

HOSPITAL FOLDING CHAIR Filed March 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nite StatesHOSPITAL FOLDING CHAIR Application March 9, 1953, Serial No. 341,076

1 Ciaim. (Cl. 4-134) Our invention relates to a collapsible or foldinghospital sanitary chair and is an improvement on prior de vices designedfor the aid, comfort and convenience of invalids.

More specifically, a primary object of our invention is a collapsible orfolding chair with a removable container or vessel for use primarily byhospital patients.

Another object of our invention is `a folding chair of the above typewihch will properly accommodate persons of various ages.

Another object of our invention is a new and improved chair structurewith a composite seat mechanism with a cover member and having aremovable container or vessel and a back member which co-acts with thecover member in abutting relationship so as to form substantially anextension thereof.

Another object of our invention is a new improved chair of the abovetype which has a composite seat mechanism composed of three mainplatforms or members recessed, apertured, constructed and adapted toremovably support a flanged container or vessel in overlappingrelationship.

Other -objects will appear from time to time in the ensuingspecification and drawings in which Figure l is a side view of our newand improved chair structure;

Figure 2 is `a front View of our new and improved chair structure shownin Figure l;

Figure 3 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line 3 3 ofFigure l; v

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, illustrating, in section, theseat mechanism of our new and improved chair with a portion of the seatmechanism raised and indicating in dotted lines the Withdrawal movementof the vessel;

Figure 6 is a top view of the vessel alone which is used in our new andimproved chair structure;

Figure 7 is the top view of the lid mechanism for the vessel orcontainer; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Like parts will be indicated by like numerals through the variousfigures.

As shown in Figure l, our chair structure is composed primarily of apair of downwardly and rearwardly directed legs lt) and a pair ofupwardly and rearwardly directed legs 12, the legs 12 beingsubstantially longer in their upward and rearward direction than theoverall length of the legs 10. The legs are pivoted together on eachside by any conventional pivot structure 14 and the upwardly andrearwardly directed legs 12 are joined by a connecting portion orextension 16. Extending transversely between the legs is any suitablebracing structure, such as the rods 18 for the rearward legs and thebracket or strap 20 for the forward legs. The connecting portion 16 ofthe legs 12 has a suitable back member or plate 22 2,785,414 PatentedMar. i9, i957 ic j 2 appropriately secured in the arcuate or curvedformation and a suitable cushion or back rest 24 is secured thereto inany appropriate manner. In Figure l, note that the back plate 22 has adepending portion 26 which extends well below the lower edge of thecushion or back rest 24.

The legs 10, as shown in Figure 1, have an upper extension 2S, which isalso pivoted at 14 and which is secured to the main portion of the legs10 by any suitable means 30, such as screws, rivets or the like. Whilewe have shown the extensions 23 connected to the legs 10, it should beunderstood that this entire leg structure could be made of one integralpiece pivoted at 14 to the legs 12, and the extension 23 with itsappropriate connecting means 30 is illustrated only by way of choice.

As shown in Figure 3, the legs 12 are each formed initially from a flatextended strip of metal and the edges are turned over or beaded as at 32so that channel members of greatly increased strength are provided.Although we have not shown the legs 10 as being specifically of thisstructure and design, it should be understood that they could easily beproduced as such without departing from the invention.

Each pivot 14 is provided with a suitable washer 34 which serves toseparate the pivoting legs and gives a free and easy pivotal movement.

A seat mechanism indicated generally at 36 is provided between thecrossed leg structures and is pivoted at 38 to the forward edges of theextension 28. Adjacent the rear edge of the seat mechanism is providedoutwardly extending pins or posts 40, which are fitted in longitudinalslots 42 in the panel or at portion ofthe legs 12. The slots 42. areappropriately covered by a plate or cover member 44, and the pins 40 canslide easily from the upper to the lower extremities of the slotswithout their ends protruding.

The seat mechanism is held in its lowermost and substantially horizontalposition by brackets or abutments 46, which engage the seat adjacent itsrearward edge. When the chair structure is folded up so that the legs 10and 12 lies substantially adjacent and parallel to one another, therearward edge of the seat mechanism will have been moved toward the backrest or cushion 24, and the seat mechanism will be substantiallyparallel vto the leg structure and will lay therebetween so as toprovide a compact and easily transported device.

As shown in Figures 4V and 5, seat mechanism is composed primarily of amain platform 4.8 which is substantially square as shown in Figure 3wit-li its forward corners somewhat rounded as shown at Si). This mainplatform has a suitably sized aperture or opening 52, which iscounter-sunk so as to provide an inwardly directed circular ilange 54. Asecond platform 56 is pivotally connected by appropriate hinges :'53adjacent, but not directly on, the `rearward edge of the main platform.No'te that each of the hinges 58 is suitably positioned in a recessedportion 60 in the main platform so that the hinge structure will notprevent the platforms 48 and 56 from properly engaging tone another Iandlying a't throughout their engaging surfaces, as shown in `Figure 4. Thesecond platform is provided with a suitably disposed -aperture 62 whichis positioned concentric with the aperture 52 in the main platform. Acover member 64 is pivotally connected to the rearwardedge of the mainplatform by suitable hinges 66 and lies liuslx against the upper surfaceof the second platform Si?. it should be noted that all three of theplatforms, including the cover member, are approximately of equaldimensions and are rounded adjacent their forward corners as at 59 inFigure 3, the only varying dimension. being the length of the secondplatform 56, which is shortened as shown at 68 in Figure 4 to allow freepivotal movement thereof.

A vessel structure 70 in Figure l is removably suparsenic ported by theseat mechanism and is composed of a con- |tainer or vessel 72 of anyappropriate size and dimensions. The upper edge of the vessel isprovided with an inwardly directed portion 74 which is reversed uponitself so as to culminate in a bead type structure or flange 76. rl`hus,the upper edge of the vessel is provided with an outwardly extendingange and with an inwardly extend ing flange. At an appropriate number oflocations along the inwardly extending flange, the roll or bead portionis removed or flattened or rolled out as at 78.

The vessel has a lid member 80 which has secured to its under surface apair of angles or hooks 82 which are suitably secured thereto by weldingor the like and which extend initially downwardy and then outwardly. Thedistance between the 'outward extremities of the brackets or hooks 82 isless than the distance between the two unbeaded or unflanged portions 78on the vessel so 1that when the lid is lowered down on the top thevessel the hooks or brackets 32 will pass downwardly a short distanceinto the interior of the vessel. Then as the lid is turned, theoutwardly directed portions of the brackets will pass under the inwardlydirected ange on the vessel. It should be understood that any number ofbrackets with an equal number of unanged portions on the vessel may beprovided to acquire the necessary interlock between fthe lid and thevessel. Additionally, the lid is provided with a handle 84 which ispivoted to the top of the lid by a pair of brackets 86, the handle beingadapted to lie substantially dat as shown in Figure 4 so as not tointerfere with the composite compact structure of the seat mechanismwhen the vessel is in place on the chair.

The use and operation of our invention are as follows:

I have provided a simple and compact sanitary hospital folding chairwhich can be used conveniently to materially simplify the trials andtribulations of a hospital existence or the like. Basically, thestructure of the folding chair is conventional and has been modifiedprimarily by the addition of the composite seat structure to removablysupport the container with a modification in the back structure. Theseat structure has the main apertured platform which supports the vesselwhen in the position of Figure 4 by the overlapping flanges, and due tothe counter-sunk or rim portion of the aperture in the main platform,the entire upper end of |the vessel, including the lid, will be belowthe upper edge of the platform so that the second platform and the covermember can be closed, and the chair will present a substantiallyconventional appearance from above. The aperture 62 in the secondplatform is smaller in diameter than the beaded portion around thevessel so that when the second platform is in its lower position, thevessel cannot be withdrawn. It should also be understood that any typeof hooks or clamping mechanism can be provided between the main andsecond platform so that the vessel could not be removed from the seatstructure without unhooking the second platform. The same is true of thecover member 64 which could easily be clamped or hooked in its lower `orat position, as in Figure 4.

When the cover member has been raised, as in Figure l, the upper edgethereof is adapted to engage the depending portion 26 of the plate 22 so'that the cover will form in a sense an extension of the cushion rest26. The under surface of the cover member 64 could easily be providedwith -any sort of cushioning means so as to effect a comfortableextension of the cushion 24 while in the position of Figure l.

Our invention can be used by persons of various ages by the simpleexpedient of raising or lowering the second platform 56; however, asshown, it is primarily intended to be used with the second platform in ahorizontal position engaging the main platform. In addition, the secondplatform could be disconnectably hinged to the main plat form so that aseries of platforms with varying sized apertures could be used, the oneselected depending upon the age of the user.

The vessel can easily be deposited on the main platform as shown inFigure 5 and withdrawn by the use of the handle with the brackets orhooks d2 underlying the flanged rim. The lid is easily connected orremoved from the vessel by the simple positioning of the brackets 82 inalignment with the unbead'ed portions 78, followed by a subsequentturning motion until one of the brackets engages an abutment 88, if sucha feature is desirable.

Whereas we have shown and described one form of our invention, it shouldbe understood that various modifications and alterations can be appliedhereto without departing from the essential theme. For example, thehooks 82 secured to the underside of the lid 30 and the inturned beadwith the unbeaded portion 7S on the vessel in eect. constitute Ianinterlocking means between the lid and the vessel so that these twoparts can be readily connected and disconnected. By embodying thisstructure in a folding chair, the vessel can be quickly and simplyremoved and the chair collapsed or folded into a substantially ilatcondition and stored in any suitable out-oftheway place.

t should also be realized that even though we have described the deviceas being particularly applicable to and for hospital use, it could findready acceptance in and around the home, as well as camping trips andthe like. The precise dimensions and sizes are unimportant, exceptwithin appropriate limits, and the inventive theme should beunrestricted except by the appended claim.

We claim:

in ya sanitary folding chair structure .for use in a hospital or thelike, a first pair of upwardly and forwardly extending legs, a secondpair of upwardly and rearwardly extending legs substantially longer thanthe first pair, the second pair having a portion interconnecting onlytheir upper ends, the pairs of legs being pivotaily connected togetherintermediate their ends so that the second pair extends a substantialdistance above the irst pair, a seat mechanism connected between the rstpair cf legs and the second pair of legs, both connections being abovethe intermediate pivotal connection of the legs to each other, the seatmechanism being connected and the connections being formed so that thechairstructure will fold generally into a common plane, the seatmechanism including a main apertured platform, and a cover memberpivotally connected adjacent the rear edge of the platform, the portioninterconnecting only the upper ends of the second pair of legs includinga padded back member between the upper ends of the legs, theinterconnecting portion having an abutment portion offset behind anddepending from the back member engageable only by the forward edge ofthe cover member when it is pivoted upwardly so that the cover member,when pivoted upwardly into engagement with the abutment portion, forms adownward continuation of the back member with the forward surface of thecover member generally coplanar with the forward surface of the paddedback member with the outer edge of the cover member lying under thepadded back mernber, and a vessel removably supported by the `seatmechanism.

References Cited in the tile of vthis patent

